Librahitech - Satyamev Jayate

PRAVASI HARIKUMAR

2012-05-16T21:17:00.001-07:00

Harikumar in Action, awsome

Romney's qualifications to be President

2012-05-16T06:01:00.001-07:00

On the campaign trail, Mitt Romney points to his business experience as his chief qualification to be president -- pointing often to that background to explain how he'd boost the economy, how he'd create jobs, how he'd fix the budget.

Watch this video we put together featuring people affected by Mitt Romney during his time in the private sector, and help hold him accountable by passing it along.

It's important that you understand exactly what Romney did as a businessman, and whether the lessons and values he drew from that experience really do qualify him to be our president.

In a career of buying and selling companies, Romney's pattern was to reap quick profits for himself and his investors, but often at the expense of workers and communities. Sometimes it meant outsourcing jobs to places like

China

and

Mexico

. Other times, it would mean reducing wages and benefits.

At times, his firm would buy companies, load them with debt and pocket millions, even as the companies went bankrupt, costing workers their jobs, health care, and pensions.

In Romney's world, CEOs and wealthy investors prosper by any means they can get away with, even when that means companies fail and workers are left behind. Two sets of rules -- one for people like him, another for the rest of us.

Let me sum up how Romney economics works:

Romney and his partners bought companies across the

United States

, often loading them up with debt in the process.

Too often, they slashed pensions, benefits, and jobs, while paying themselves and their shareholders straight from the debt they'd accumulated.

Because of that debt, several of these businesses went bankrupt, leaving workers without jobs, without pensions, and without health care -- all while Romney and his partners walked away with millions.

Everyone understands that businesses rise and fall -- and sometimes fail -- and no one is challenging Romney's right to run his business as he saw fit or questioning private equity as a whole.

But when a handful of people make a fortune by putting thousands out of work and bankrupting once-healthy businesses, it's legitimate to question whether those are the values America needs in a president -- and whether those are the values that will create an economy built to last, with a strong, secure middle class.

On the campaign trail, Mitt Romney claims that what he and his partners did is the very best of what capitalism can be. He claims to know how to create jobs based on that experience, but even his former partners admitted their business was never about creating jobs -- it was about creating wealth for investors.

Just listen to the workers of GST Steel: Mitt Romney came in, ravaged it with debt, and it ended up filing for bankruptcy. 750 workers lost their jobs and health care, and Romney's managers left their pension fund $44 million short. The 113-year-old steel mill closed its doors, and Romney's company made a 150% profit on their initial investment.

As RomneyEconomics.com shows, stories like that happened time and time again. That approach, where a few people do very well no matter what the cost to others, is the last thing we need in a president.

Romney's economics would be a disaster for the middle class. We can't afford an economy where even when the company fails, the financial wizards walk away with millions, while the workers who have invested years growing the company are left holding the bag. That won't make our economy -- or our country -- stronger.

As part of the Truth Team, it's up to us to spread the truth behind Mitt Romney's business record. We don't need to spin it here, the facts speak for themselves.

So take a look around the site -- check out the year-by-year statistics and hear from the workers and managers affected by Mitt Romney and his business partners. Then share these stories far and wide:

Stephanie Cutter

Deputy Campaign Manager

Obama for

America

http://my.barackobama.com/Romney-Economics

Comments from Prathap G., Sharjah:

The above statements sound familiar to the manner in which some corporate honchos and their minions conduct themselves in other parts of the world too.

SATYAMEV JAYATE

2012-05-13T01:56:00.003-07:00

Aamir Gets Real - ostensibly, though, he says he is an actor and not a social activist.

The savvy, sophisticated Aamir Khan has hit the ground running and the first episode of his debut reality show has got India talking like never before. Finally, Indian television has something real to offer.

LAST WEEK, Hindi film superstar Aamir Khan proved that he is way ahead of the other Khan who holds sway over billions of film loving audiences in the subcontinent. The first episode of Satyamev Jayate (Truth Alone Prevails), Khan’s debut reality show that kicked off last Sunday, dealt with the horrific reality of female foeticide in India and left audiences in the studio and in millions of homes, teary-eyed and shaking their heads in disbelief.

The 47-year old, who began with being just being a good-looking leading man, has in the recent years metamorphosed into a thinking man’s actor who has increasingly commanded and got roles written for him. And when his obsession with perfection got ahead of him, he went on to make films himself.

For several months now Khan has been near-missing from the Bollywood scene and has been absorbed in putting his debut television show together, often pushing back his commitment to other movies. But in the end, when the show was telecast on Sunday, he showed that it is brain, not brawn or grey hair and a larger than life persona of people such as Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan or Amitabh Bachchan, that matters. All of the three superstars have had their trysts with television but we suspect they will now rush for cover.

The savvy, sophisticated Khan, meanwhile, has hit the ground running, garnering the support of India’s one billion plus population to pressurize the government to take action against the perpetrators of female foeticide. He is writing columns in newspapers, getting himself a radio show and using every public platform to promote the show and project himself as a social activist. Ostensibly, though, he says he is an actor and not a social activist.
Already, the first episode has had the desired effect. Shamed by the figures of female foeticide that his research team put together, the Rajasthan government has directed tough action against the practice and announced cash incentives to those who report on doctors and clinics who help families to kill the unborn female child.

Khan’s website crashed minutes after the show was telecast, with over a million hits by fans who left emotional messages.

Will Aamir Khan be the next messiah for a disillusioned nation, after the much-older Anna Hazare? Only time will tell. In the meantime, the nation is awaiting the next episode of “Satyamev Jayate” with bated breath. By Sudha Menon – Khaleej Times - 12 May 2012.

SATYAMEV JAYATE - WEBSITE

Jai Ho Aamir............

Rules for Safe Driving

2012-05-10T01:46:00.002-07:00

Beyond acquiring basic car control skills -- and exercising good judgment behind the wheel -- there are a few basic rules for safe driving that everyone should know -- and follow:

Don't tailgate:

Crowding the car ahead of you makes it more likely you'll smash into it if the driver should suddenly brake. Modern safety devices such as anti-lock brakes and traction control don't trump physics.

Obey the three second rule:

Every driver should know and heed the three second rule: When the vehicle ahead of you passes a fixed object (such as a tree or telephone pole) slowly count "one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand." If you reach the object before completing the count, you're following too closely. Double your following distance (to six seconds) in poor weather.

Use turn signals:

Failing to signal your intentions to other motorists is always dangerous -- as well as discourteous. Other motorists are not psychic; they can't guess that you are planning on making a right turn -- or about to move into the next lane. Signaling is especially important for the safety of motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians, too. If they are in your blind spot and you just assume no one's there and execute a maneuver without signaling first, these folks will get no advance warning -- and will suffer the most if you strike them.

Don't impede the flow of traffic:

Driving too slowly can be more dangerous than driving a little faster than the posted limit. In a high-density situation, with many others vehicles sharing the road, a dawdler creates what amounts to a rolling roadblock. Traffic snarls; motorists jockey for position -- the smooth flow of cars is interrupted. Try to drive with the flow of traffic -- and if the car behind you clearly wishes to go faster, the best thing to do is let it get by, whether you are "doing the limit" already or not. The other driver may have an emergency you are unaware of -- and in any event, it is simply safer and more courteous to yield to faster-moving traffic. Leave enforcement of speed limits to the police.

Maintain appropriate speed:

Speed, as such, doesn't kill. If it did, airliners traveling at 500 mph would have the highest accident/fatality rates of any form of transportation. But air travel is in fact much safer than driving -- and few cars travel at 500 mph. The problem is inappropriate speed. For example, while it may be perfectly legal to drive 65 mph on the highway, if you don't slow down when it's raining heavily (or snowing) and your visibility as well as your car's stopping ability are reduced -- you increase your chances of having an accident. Similarly, if you are driving an unfamiliar road, especially a country road with many blind curves, you may not be able to negotiate the road at the same speed a local might with equal safety. Use your judgment -- and adjust speed to match conditions and your comfort level.

Plan ahead/use your mirrors:

Anticipate the need to brake or make lane changes, etc. by constantly scanning your driving environment and watching the actions of other drivers, pedestrians and so on. This way, it's less likely you'll need to jam on the brakes -- or make sudden steering changes -- to avoid problems. The best drivers always maintain "situational awareness" -- where other cars are in relation to their vehicle, what's coming up ahead -- and what's happening on either side of them and behind them. Use your mirrors -- frequently.

Drive within your limits, the limits set by conditions and the limits of your vehicle:

SUVs are not as equipped as sporty cars to travel safely at higher speeds -- and sporty cars tend to get skittish much more readily when it snows. Older vehicles lacking modern tires or traction/stability enhancers don't have the same built-in edge as late model cars with those features. You'll need more time to slow down safely; the older car will also go into a skid with less provocation than a newer car equipped with an electronic stability aid. Don't drive faster than you -- or your vehicle -- can drive safely, with ample "cushion" of time and space to make corrections and react to changing conditions and other motorists.

Drive Safely…………..

My Safe Drive Declaration of Independence.

I, Prathapan Gopalan (Prathap G.), hereby declare that I will:

1. Be responsible – when I am at the wheel, I am responsible for the lives of my passengers and my own, as well as those of other road users, such as, motorits, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

2. Always wear my seat-belt and ensure my passengers do the same. This is because in the event of an accident, seat belts are crucial in helping to reduce deaths and injuries.

3. Never drink and drive – to arrange for alternate transport, take a cab or have an assigned driver when I plan a night out.

4. Not speed – to adhere to speed limit on the road, even when traveling on the expressways and when the road ahead is clear.

5. Not play loud music when driving.

6. Not exceed the number of passengers I am allowed to carry in my car.

7. Never beat the traffic lights – slow down when the light turns amber and stop when it turns red.

8. Not use my mobile phone when driving – if absolutely necessary I will always use a hands-free set.

9. Not let others drive my car – even if they have driving licenses (Of course my wife, son, or daughter can drive my car too, as they have driving licences, and are expert drivers).

10. Know my vehicle well and maintain it – understand its capabilities and limits and ensure regular inspections by professionals so as to maintain the vehicle in good condition.

Because, Your Well-being Is My Top Priority – Prathap G., Sharjah.

WORDS OF WISDOM

2012-05-10T01:41:00.001-07:00

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do – Mark Twain

Take our twenty best people away, and I will tell you that Microsoft would become an unimportant company – Bill Gates

A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than much knowledge that is idle – Khalil Gibran

The wise man learns more from the fool than the fool learns from the wise man – Marcus Aurelius

I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order than I may learn how to do it – Pablo Picasso

I am a strong believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it – Benjamin Franklin

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life – Confucius

Genius is one percent inspiration, and ninety-nine percent perspiration – Thomas Edison

I’ve always found that the speed of the boss is the speed of the team – Lee Iacocca

Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new – Albert Einstein

One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man – Elbert Hubbard

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe – Abraham Lincoln

The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do – Steve Jobs

Francois Hollande wins French election 2012

2012-05-07T03:54:00.004-07:00

Posted: Sun May 6, 2012 9:15 pm

INTERNATIONAL. Socialist Francois Hollande swept to victory in France's presidential election on Sunday in a swing to the left at the heart of Europe that could start a pushback against German-led austerity.

Hollande was set to beat conservative incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy by a decisive 51.9% to 48.1% margin, the TNS-Sofres polling agency said in a projection based on a partial vote count.

The president conceded defeat within 20 minutes of the last polls closing at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT), telling supporters he had telephoned Hollande to wish him good luck.

"I have just spoken to him on the telephone to wish him good luck," Sarkozy said,

Sarkozy told his supporters that he took responsibility for his defeat, saying: "It's the number one who takes responsibility." "I bear the full responsibility for this defeat," he said.

Sarkozy, punished for his failure to rein in record 10 percent unemployment and for his brash personal style, is the 11th successive leader in the euro zone to be swept from power since the currency bloc's debt crisis began in 2009.

Jubilant left-wingers celebrated outside Socialist Party headquarters and in Paris' Bastille square, where revelers danced in 1981 when Francois Mitterrand became France's only other Socialist president.

Congratulations to Mr. Hollande - Prathap G., Sharjah

Sugathan V – Indian Social Worker

2012-05-06T23:20:00.001-07:00

Indian social worker found dead

Sajila Saseendran / 7 May 2012 – Khaleej Times – Dubai – U.A.E.

Sixty one-year-old Sugathan, who lived in the UAE for 37 years, was found dead in Fujairah. Hundreds of Indians bid farewell to the prominent social worker on Sunday, six days after his body was discovered.

With the police recording it as a case of suicide, the death of V. Sugathan, who used to be part of an awareness campaign against suicide, came as a blow to the anti-suicide efforts of several Indian community organisations, especially the one he was part of.

Sixty one-year-old Sugathan had lived in the UAE for 37 years, working as an X-ray technician at the Preventive Medicine Department of the Ministry of Health, in Sharjah. He was the secretary of the Sharjah unit of Sevanam, an Indian community association registered with the Indian Consulate in Dubai. Last year, the ministry had honoured him for his professional service while the Indian community honoured his social service.

Sugathan went to the department on Sunday but took leave and left for Fujairah in his car. His mobile reportedly went unreachable after he rang up home from Fujairah. Later, on Monday, his body was found hanging in the site of a building under construction in Masafi. He hanged himself by using a rope bought from a supermarket in Dibba and the bill for the purchase was found in his pocket.

Some of his friends cited financial woes as the main reason for his suicide while some others have not ruled out certain family issues.

Several Indians, especially those from the state of Kerala, attended the funeral held at the
premises of the electric crematorium in Jebel Ali, Dubai.

“He was a very important person for us. We are sad that this has happened after our association pitched in to solve his financial problems, said KS Vachaspati, the general secretary of Sevanam, UAE.

“He never disclosed such matters to any of us. We came to know about it just a few days ago and we immediately extended our helping hands. I think he was upset that everyone came to know about his issues,” he said.

Apparently, Sugathan had borrowed money from private individuals. Though he had settled most of those dealings, it is suspected that he was pestered by some of them.

He had taken a lot of initiatives in solving the issues faced by people in distress and those who had suicidal tendencies.

“Both of us have worked together on various cases and helped people,” said Vachaspati.

Sugathan also campaigned against high interest rates of money lenders who haunt their creditors, a reason cited in many Indians’ suicide cases.

His death came as a setback to the efforts of more than a dozen Indian welfare groups who had recently united to launch anti-suicide awareness campaigns.

S Prasad, community welfare convenor of Sevanam in Ras Al Khaimah said Sugathan was one of the pillars of the association that was formed 10 years ago. “From that day till his death, he was dedicated to social work in the community. His death is a major loss to our association and a big blow to our efforts against suicide,” said Prasad.— sajila@khaleejtimes.com

May his soul rest in peace – Prathap G., Sharjah

Hitting the ground running

2012-05-05T23:14:00.001-07:00

By Bikram Vohra – Khaleej Times - Friday, May 04, 2012

Many years ago when I was a young and callow journalist intent on saving the world, I was asked at a party what my USP was.

I had no idea what it meant and I swam in scorn for the rest of the evening. Ever since then I have been scared stiff of buzzwords and the more they get flung at me the more I cringe with shame. Say things like ‘paradigm shift’ and ‘seamless integration’ and you can knock me out of the conversation like a pawn on a chessboard. I have no idea what they are yammering about… just not proactive, people. But I think I can multi-task!

The other day I met this whizz-kid and he was holding fort about core competency and I wanted to ask what it meant as opposed to a competency that was on the nutshell or covering, but it was that smarty-pants crowd who sneer all the time so I just stayed quiet.

I cannot use words or phrases like result-oriented (why wouldn’t you be, who do you know who says, well, one thing I am not is result-oriented but give me a promotion anyhow?), thinking outside the box (what’s inside it?), at the end of the day (what about when the boss blows his mind tomorrow morning, so whose day are we talking about, the big honcho or the worker bees?), in the final analysis (was there a semi-final?), win-win situation (unlike a loooo-ser person), best practices (who settles for second-best practices?), low hanging fruit (kill me, someone), value-added proposition (as compared to value-subtracted?), push the envelope (off the table?), not to mention the shiny new one called maximising leverage. What does it mean?

A friend of mine would always talk about his favourite staff as people who hit the ground running. I always had a vision of someone leaping off a moving bus dangerously and risking his life. Where did this phrase come from? Why would I want to hit the ground running, jumping, skidding or any other way? Yet, if someone says this at a conference everyone else looks impressed and the ground-hitter’s chances of getting the pay hike rise.

I went to a meeting the other day and somebody in a black suit and pinstriped tie said, so and so brings a lot of value to the table. I said, what table, I don’t see any value on it, only some biscuits and a cup of tea. Everyone looked me at with sadness, pity for the uninitiated. See, that is the problem, I am fatuous, and being fatuous when buzzwords are raining on you is one way of losing your credibility. People think you are not with it, not on the ball, not the best of the breed, not on the cusp, off the cutting edge, time to farm this guy out, he doesn’t even know how to take it to the next level, let him go before he drops the ball.

It is really great how those who tramp the corridors of power love to use sports analogies. It makes them feel they are athletic in their old age when all they do is sit in front of the TV and haven’t done anything physical for years. Then they hit you with the stuff. Now, that’s a curve ball. He plays with a straight bat. Boss wants to kick off the meeting at 3.30pm. Good man, well done, put yourself in the winner’s circle.

What do you think I am, a horse?

Straight shooter, that’s me, not to forget being a team player and passing the ball. Look, how many free throws do you want, you have already fouled three times? Get your work done fast so you won’t have to make a three pointer at the buzzer… Say what?

We were interviewing once and this board member said, the fellow looks more like a sprinter, you know great for the short haul, we need a marathon man, like for the long haul.

Sure, but what if he hits the ground running?

Welfare State

2012-05-03T03:38:00.001-07:00

What Does Welfare State Mean?

A concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. A welfare state is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth and public responsibility for those unable to avail themselves of the minimal provisions of a good life. Under this system, the welfare of its citizens is the responsibility of the state.

Under this method, the government oversees and administers healthcare, education, employment, social security and other resources that help maintain the standard of living of the state's citizens.

Ethically dubious business practices.

2012-05-03T03:34:00.001-07:00

Legal Business Practices Of Dubious Ethics.

By Lisa Smith – Investopedia – May 01, 2012

It might be hard to believe that these ethically dubious business practices are legal and legitimate in the eyes of lawmakers. However, being aware of these unscrupulous methods can help you avoid them as best you can. The examples above are just a few instances where the law is unable to protect people, despite the best intentions of regulators. Here are a few of them:

Interest Rate Payment to Investors Vs. Interest Rate Charged to Borrowers

If you go to your bank and put $100 in a savings account, you will be lucky if the bank pays you 1% in interest for a year. If you take out a bank-sponsored credit card, the bank will charge you 25% or more in interest. Now, what's wrong with that picture? According to the banks, nothing at all. It's all perfectly legal.

Better still, from their point of view, they can charge depositors a fee to talk to a teller, a fee for having a low balance, a fee to use the ATM, a fee to order checks, a fee for bounced checks, and a few more fees for other services thrown in for added profit and good measure. Then, if the depositor decides to borrow, they can charge a loan origination fee, a loan servicing fee, an annual credit card fee and the interest on the credit cards and loans. It's all perfectly legal and fully disclosed, and bewildering to the average bank customer.

Higher Interest Rates for "Bad" Credit Vs. Lower Rates for "Good" Credit

If you are having trouble getting by (maybe you lost your job or got behind on some bills) and are trying to get back on your feet after your credit rating took a hit, you will probably be charged a higher rate of interest the next time you borrow money. You will pay more for a mortgage, a car loan, a bank loan and just about every other loan you can possibly imagine.

On the other hand, wealthy people can get loans at rock-bottom interest rates. It is standard practice to change more to higher risk clients. This policy makes sense on paper, but doesn't do any favors for hard-working people just trying make ends meet.

Pension Plan "Freeze" and Termination Vs. Pension Payments to Workers

Imagine that you worked your whole life and gave the best years of your health to one firm. However, a few years before you retired, the company froze the pension plan. Then the year you were poised to get out, they terminated the plan and gave you a lump sum check instead of a pension check for life. The worst part? It happens often and is perfectly legal.

Class Action Lawsuits Vs. Justice for the Wronged

So what happens when the "little guy" realizes that he's been wronged by a large company? More often than not, he'll probably take the company to court. However, since the little guy cannot afford the legal representation required to do battle with a corporate behemoth, he looks for a lawyer who represents a huge group of people in a similar predicament.

For example, say the lives of 1,000 people were ruined by an ill-advised investment purchase. If the victims receive a settlement, the lawyers can command a significant portion of that money, even more than half. For example, a $10 million settlement can be divided into $5,000 each for the plaintiffs and $5 million for the lawyers, and it's all legal. The "little guy" might get his day in court, but there's no guarantee that he'll be getting paid what he deserves, especially if his lawyer wants a big chunk of the settlement as payment for services rendered.

Frugal Billionaires

2012-05-02T23:32:00.000-07:00

The Everyday Lives Of Frugal Billionaires

When you think about the richest people in the world, you may envision them surrounded by all the trappings of wealth: race cars, yachts, mansions and other toys that most of the rest of us can only dream about. The term "frugal billionaire" may seem like an oxymoron, but a small subset of the richest of the rich are well-known for their penny-pinching ways. While most people will never have that kind of money to throw around, everyone can take a page from the fiscally-responsible habits of these billionaires.

Warren Buffett

Probably the most famous cheapskate since Scrooge, Buffett lives a modest lifestyle despite his net worth of around $44 billion. He purchased a five-bedroom house in Omaha in 1958 for $31,500 and has lived there ever since. Buffett doesn't spend his money on electronics and reportedly doesn't carry a cell phone or have a computer at his desk. Although he could afford a whole fleet of limousines to be at his beck and call, he prefers to drive himself and owns a Cadillac DTS, which comes in at a modest $50,000 or so. When it comes to entertainment, the investment mogul shuns splashy parties and trips and spends his time playing bridge.

Mark Zuckerberg

Zuckerberg makes the list as the world's youngest billionaire. Though he's still in his 20s, this Facebook creator has an estimated net worth of $17.5 billion. Almost all of his money is tied up in the social media company's equity. It can be argued that Zuckerberg simply hasn't had enough time to splash his wealth around or that it really doesn't exist until he takes the company public later this year. By all accounts, Zuckerberg keeps his life low-key and spends up to 16 hours a day at the office. He doesn't own his home, but prefers to rent a house down the road from Facebook's Palo Alto headquarters. Zuckerberg chooses t-shirts and jeans over expensive tailored suits and sneakers and sandals over Italian leather loafers.

Carlos Slim Helu

In 2010, Helu passed Bill Gates on the billionaire list to become the richest man in the world, with an estimated net worth of $69 billion. He built his fortune in Mexico, where he owns over 200 companies including Telmex, the country's largest telephone service provider. He shares many frugal traits with Warren Buffett, including living in a modest home and eschewing computers. Helu, widowed since 1999, spends most of his downtime at home with his six children and his grandchildren. In a country where security is often sketchy, he still chooses to drive himself wherever he goes. Although much more dandily dressed than Mark Zuckerberg, Helu purchases most of his clothing off the rack from one of the many retail franchises he owns.

John Caudwell

You might argue that Caudwell, now retired from the British cellphone empire he built from scratch, doesn't belong on this list at all. He owns many rich toys including a helicopter, yacht and a car worth more than most people's homes. When it comes to wasting money, Caudwell is a skinflint at heart. He cuts his own hair because he thinks barbershops are a waste of time and money. He buys his clothing off the rack at the British retailer Marks and Spencer. Before retirement, he would bike 14 miles to work each day rather than have someone drive him in his Bentley. Now, he bikes 40 miles every week to and from his favorite pub.

The Bottom Line

The uber-wealthy don't always live the high life, which helps them stay rich. The frugal billionaires listed above all came from modest means and frugality was learned and practiced by their families. They carried these lessons with them in business and, one hopes, they will pass them on to their children.

April 26, 2012 – Angie Mohr

നെടുമ്പാശ്ശേരിയില്‍ സ്ത്രീ യാത്രക്കാര്‍ക്ക് ദുരിതം

2012-04-23T22:47:00.000-07:00

ഒരു പവന്‍ സ്വര്‍ണം ധരിച്ചവര്‍ക്കും നികുതി: നെടുമ്പാശ്ശേരിയില്‍ സ്ത്രീ യാത്രക്കാര്‍ക്ക് ദുരിതം.

Published on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 10:04 ( 1 day 50 min ago) റഹ് മാന്‍ എലങ്കമല്‍

ദുബൈ: 20,000 രൂപക്ക് മുകളില്‍ വിലയുള്ള സ്വര്‍ണം ധരിച്ചെത്തുന്ന സ്ത്രീകളില്‍ നിന്ന് നികുതി ഈടാക്കാമെന്ന നിയമത്തിന്‍െറ മറവില്‍ നെടുമ്പാശ്ശേരി വിമാനത്താവളത്തില്‍ സ്ത്രീകളടക്കമുള്ള യാത്രക്കാരെ ദുരിതത്തിലാക്കുന്നതായി പരാതി. ഇന്ത്യയില്‍ നിലവിലുള്ള ഈ പഴയ നിയമം ഈയിടെ പൊടിതട്ടിയെടുത്തതാണ് യാത്രക്കാര്‍ക്ക് വിനയാകുന്നത്. വിദേശ രാജ്യങ്ങളില്‍ നിന്നെത്തുന്ന സ്ത്രീകള്‍ 20,000 രൂപയിലും പുരുഷന്‍മാര്‍ 10,000 രൂപയിലും കൂടുതല്‍ വിലവരുന്ന സ്വര്‍ണാഭരണങ്ങള്‍ ധരിച്ചാല്‍ അതിന് തീരുവ നല്‍കണമെന്നാണ് നിയമം. നിലവില്‍ പവന് 22,000 രൂപയിലധികം വിലയുള്ളതിനാല്‍ ഈ നിയമമനുസരിച്ച് ഒരു പവന്‍ സ്വര്‍ണാഭരണങ്ങള്‍ ധരിക്കാന്‍ പോലും സ്ത്രീകള്‍ക്ക് അനുവാദമില്ല.

സ്വര്‍ണ കള്ളക്കടത്തും മറ്റും വര്‍ധിച്ച സാഹചര്യത്തില്‍ ഈ നിയമം കര്‍ശനമായി നടപ്പാക്കണമെന്ന് ഈയിടെ കേന്ദ്ര സര്‍ക്കാര്‍ നിര്‍ദേശം നല്‍കിയിരുന്നുവത്രെ. ഇതിന്‍െറ പേരിലാണ് ഉദ്യോഗസ്ഥര്‍ യാത്രക്കാരെ ദുരിതത്തിലാക്കുന്നത്. നിയമം വളരെക്കാലമായി നിലവിലുണ്ടെങ്കിലും ഇതുവരെ കര്‍ശനമായി നടപ്പാക്കിയിരുന്നില്ല. സ്ഥിരമായി യാത്രചെയ്യുന്നവര്‍ പോലും ഈ നിയമത്തെ കുറിച്ച് തീര്‍ത്തും അജ്ഞരുമാണ്. ഗള്‍ഫ് രാജ്യങ്ങളില്‍ നിന്ന് ഈയിടെ നെടുമ്പാശ്ശേരി വിമാനത്താവളത്തിലെത്തിയ നിരവധി യാത്രക്കാര്‍ക്ക് നിയമത്തിന്‍െറ പേരില്‍ ഏറെ പ്രയാസമനുഭവിക്കേണ്ടി വന്നതായി പരാതിയുണ്ട്.

പതിവായി ധരിക്കുന്ന ആഭരണങ്ങളുടെ പേരില്‍ അപ്രതീക്ഷിതമായി ആയിരങ്ങള്‍ നികുതി ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടത് യാത്രക്കാരെ ദുരിതത്തിലാക്കി. ഈ മാസം പതിനെട്ടിന് പുലര്‍ച്ചെ ഷാര്‍ജയില്‍ നിന്ന് എയര്‍ ഇന്ത്യ വിമാനത്തില്‍ നെടുമ്പാശ്ശേരിയിലെത്തിയ തൃശൂര്‍ സ്വദേശിയായ വീട്ടമ്മയോട് 12,000 രൂപ നികുതി നല്‍കണമെന്നാണ് ഉദ്യോഗസ്ഥര്‍ ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടത്. ഷാര്‍ജയില്‍ ഗ്രോസറി നടത്തുന്ന തൃശൂര്‍ എടമുട്ടം മുരിങ്ങാത്തോട് സ്വദേശി ജമാലുദ്ദീന്‍െറ ഭാര്യ നഫീസക്കാണ് ഈ ദുരനുഭവമുണ്ടായത്.

പതിവായി ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്ന കുറച്ച് സ്വര്‍ണാഭരണങ്ങള്‍ മാത്രമാണ് ഇവര്‍ ധരിച്ചിരുന്നത്. നിയമത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് നേരത്തെ അറിവില്ലാതിരുന്ന ജമാലുദ്ദീന്‍ ഉദ്യോഗസ്ഥരോട് ഇതേക്കുറിച്ച് ചോദിച്ചപ്പോള്‍ മാന്യമായ മറുപടി ലഭിച്ചില്ലെന്ന് ഇദ്ദേഹം ‘ഗള്‍ഫ് മാധ്യമ’ത്തോട് പറഞ്ഞു. ഗര്‍ഭിണികളായ സ്ത്രീകളടക്കം ഒട്ടേറെ യാത്രക്കാരെ ഉദ്യോഗസ്ഥര്‍ പരിശോധനക്കായി തടഞ്ഞുവെച്ചിരുന്നു. നാട്ടില്‍ നിന്ന് വരുമ്പോള്‍ ധരിച്ച ആഭരണങ്ങള്‍ക്കും നികുതി ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നുവത്രെ. നാട്ടില്‍ നിന്ന് വരുമ്പോള്‍ ആഭരണങ്ങള്‍ തൂക്കി കണക്കാക്കി അത് പാസ്പോര്‍ട്ടില്‍ രേഖപ്പെടുത്തണമെന്നും അല്ലാത്തവക്ക് നികുതി നിര്‍ബന്ധമാണെന്നുമായിരുന്നു ഉദ്യോഗസ്ഥരുടെ നിലപാട്.

ഗ്രാമിന് 300 രൂപ വീതം നല്‍കണമെന്നായിരുന്നു അവര്‍ ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടത്. ഇത്തരം നിയമത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് അറിയില്ലെന്നും കൈയില്‍ 12,000 രൂപ എടുക്കാനില്ലെന്നും നഫീസ അറിയിച്ചപ്പോള്‍ നികുതി പകുതിയായി കുറക്കാന്‍ ഇദ്യോഗസ്ഥര്‍ തയാറായി. എന്നാല്‍ ഈ തുകയും ഇവര്‍ കൈയില്‍ കരുതിയിരുന്നില്ല. എങ്കില്‍ സ്വര്‍ണം ലോക്കറില്‍ സൂക്ഷിക്കണമെന്നും കൊണ്ടുപോകാന്‍ കഴിയില്ലെന്നും ഉദ്യോഗസ്ഥര്‍ അറിയിച്ചു. ഇതിന് എത്രയാണ് ചാര്‍ജ് ഈടാക്കുന്നതെന്നൊന്നും മുന്‍കൂട്ടി അറിയിച്ചിരുന്നില്ലത്രെ. ആഭരണങ്ങള്‍ ലോക്കറില്‍ സൂക്ഷിക്കുന്നതിനുള്ള രേഖകള്‍ തയാറാക്കിയ ശേഷമാണ് പ്രതിദിനം 15 രൂപയാണ് ചാര്‍ജെന്ന് ഇവര്‍ അറിയുന്നത്. പതിവായി ഇപയോഗിക്കുന്ന ആഭരണങ്ങള്‍ പോലും കൈവശം വെക്കാന്‍ കഴിയാത്ത നിയമം പ്രവാസി യാത്രക്കാര്‍ക്ക് കൊടിയ ദുരിതം സമ്മാനിക്കുന്നതാണെന്ന് നഫീസ പറഞ്ഞു.

യു.എ.ഇയിലേക്ക് തിരിച്ചുപോകുമ്പോള്‍ എടുക്കാമെന്ന പ്രതീക്ഷയോടെ ലോക്കറില്‍ വെച്ച ആഭരണങ്ങള്‍ തിരിച്ചെടുക്കുന്നതിനും ഒട്ടേറെ നിബന്ധനകളുണ്ട്. അവധി ദിവസങ്ങളില്‍ ചെല്ലരുതെന്നും 24 മണിക്കൂര്‍ മുമ്പ് വിവരം നല്‍കണമെന്നും ഉദ്യോഗസ്ഥര്‍ അറിയിച്ചതായി നഫീസ വ്യക്തമാക്കി. ഗള്‍ഫിലെ ഫ്ളാറ്റ് അടച്ചിട്ട് പോകുന്നതിനാല്‍ വില കൂടിയ ആഭരണങ്ങള്‍ അവിടെ സുരക്ഷിതമായി സൂക്ഷിക്കാന്‍ കഴിയാത്തതിനാലാണ് ഇവ ധരിച്ചതെന്നും ഇവര്‍ പറഞ്ഞു. സ്വര്‍ണത്തിന് വളരെ വില കുറവായ കാലത്തെ നിയമം ഇന്നും പഴയ പടി നടപ്പാക്കുന്നത് പ്രവാസി യാത്രക്കാര്‍ക്ക് ഏറെ പ്രയാസം സൃഷ്ടിക്കും.

രണ്ട് കമ്മല്‍ മാത്രം ധരിക്കുന്നവര്‍ പോലും ഈ നിയമം കാരണം വിമാനത്താവളത്തില്‍ നികുതി നല്‍കേണ്ടിവരും. അവധിക്കാലം ചെലവഴിക്കുന്നതിനും മറ്റും ഗള്‍ഫ് രാജ്യങ്ങളിലെത്തുന്ന സ്ത്രീകളും പെണ്‍കുട്ടികളുമടക്കമുള്ളവര്‍ തിരിച്ചുപോകുമ്പോള്‍, ധരിച്ച ആഭരണങ്ങളുടെ പേരില്‍ നികുതിയടക്കേണ്ട അവസ്ഥയാണ് ഇത് സൃഷ്ടിക്കുന്നത്. നിയമത്തെക്കുറിച്ച അജ്ഞത മൂലം പലരും ഇക്കാര്യം ശ്രദ്ധിക്കാറുമില്ല.

കൈയില്‍ വേണ്ടത്ര പണം കരുതാതെ തനിച്ച് യാത്ര ചെയ്യുന്ന സ്ത്രീകള്‍ക്കും മറ്റും അപ്രതീക്ഷിതമായുണ്ടാകുന്ന ഈ അനുഭവം കനത്ത മാനസിക സംഘര്‍ഷത്തിനും കാരണമാകും. നിയമം കാലോചിതമായി പരിഷ്കരിക്കണമെന്നും അതുവരെ നടപ്പാക്കുന്നതില്‍ നിന്ന് ഉദ്യോഗസ്ഥരെ വിലക്കാന്‍ നടപടിയെടുക്കണമെന്നും ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ട് വിവിധ പ്രവാസി സംഘടനകള്‍ കേന്ദ്ര പ്രവാസികാര്യ മന്ത്രി വയലാര്‍ രവിക്കും കേരള മുഖ്യമന്ത്രി ഉമ്മന്‍ചാണ്ടിക്കും പരാതി നല്‍കാനുള്ള തയാറെടുപ്പിലാണ്.

Top 10 Rules for Electric Safety

2012-04-11T23:39:00.000-07:00

To play it safe around your home, just remember the rules for using electricity the right way.

1) DON'T plug a bunch of stuff into one outlet or extension cord. It could damage the electrical system in your house or even cause a fire.

2) DO ask grown-ups to put safety caps on all unused electrical outlets. Covering outlets will also help save energy by stopping cold drafts.

3) DON'T yank an electrical cord from the wall. Pulling on a cord can damage the appliance, the plug or the outlet.

4) DO make sure all electric cords are tucked away, neat and tidy. Pets might chew on electrical cords, and people might trip and fall.

5) DO ask a grown-up for help when you need to use something that uses electricity.

6) DO look up and look out for power lines before you climb a tree. The electricity can go right through the tree branch - and right through you!

7) DON'T ever climb the fence around an electrical substation. If a ball or pet gets inside the fence, ask a grown-up to call the electric company - they'll come and get it out for you.

8) DO remind your mom or dad to watch out for power lines when they're using a ladder, chainsaw or other outdoor equipment.

9) DO keep electrical stuff far away from water. Most electrical accidents around the house happen when people use electricity near water.

10) DON'T fly a kite near power lines. The kite and the string may conduct electricity - sending it right through you to the ground.

Prathap's House - March 2012

2012-04-11T06:19:00.003-07:00

The house as it looks now in March 2012 after the trees in front have been unrooted to make way for the main gate.

Before the trees have been uprooted.

Wall constructed on Prathap property at Omalloor

2012-04-11T06:12:00.002-07:00

A view of the compound wall constructed on the eastern side of Prathap's property at Omalloor, Kerala, India, in March 2012.

Make your life better in 30 steps

2012-04-08T06:01:00.000-07:00

1. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

2. Don't have negative thoughts of things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

3. Don't overdo; keep your limits.

4. Don't take yourself so seriously; no one else does.

5. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.

6. Dream more while you are awake.

7. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

8. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner of his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.

9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.

10. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

11. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

12. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.

13. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

14. Smile and laugh more.

15. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

16. Call your family often.

17. Each day give something good to others.

18. Forgive everyone for everything.

19. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.

20. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

21. What other people think of you is none of your business.

22. Your job will not take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch.

23. Put GOD first in anything and everything that you think, say and do.

24. GOD heals everything.

25. Do the right things.

26. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

27. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

28. The best is yet to come.

29. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

30. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.

While you practice those steps, share them with other people …
Not only will it enrich YOUR life, but also that of those around you.

Interview Questions - Answers for Marketers

2012-03-15T01:37:00.001-07:00

1. Tell me about yourself.

This does not mean tell me everything. It means tell me in a few sentences why you’re the most suitable candidate for the job. Talk about your relevant education, experience, key results and achievements. Remember to tailor your answer to the specific job using an example or two to back up your answer. If this was your one chance in the interview to sell yourself and tell the interviewer what you can do for them, what would you say?

2. Why do you want to work for us?

Here’s where your research about the company will help you to stand out from the other candidates. Explain how you’ve always wanted the opportunity to work with a company that, for example, is a leader in innovative products. The best source for research is the company’s website. Read through their annual reports, look at their products and services and try to gain an understanding of the structure of the company (size and number of employees) and the market it’s in. Also research the company’s competitors and other organisations operating in the same field.

3. Can you give me an example of a marketing campaign that did not work out as you had planned?

It is important that you are able to recognise why a plan went wrong and to learn from the experience. Campaigns often fail due to poor research and groundwork, poor planning and follow through of objectives and goals or ineffective communication. Be open about why the campaign failed, take accountability and focus on what you learnt.

4. Tell me about a marketing project that you brought in on time and under budget.

Focus on your planning and organising skills to get the best return on the marketing budget. Detail what controls were put in place to track and stay on top of expenditure and how plans were adjusted when necessary. Discuss your ability to react quickly and accurately to meet new demands and constraints.

5. Describe a situation in which an innovative course of action was necessary?

Talk about how you gained a clear perspective before deciding on the focus of your innovation. How you took into consideration the available resources to determine the best course of action. Explain the action taken and why it was innovative.

6. Give me an example when you’ve convinced someone to do something they didn’t want to do.

Consider a situation when you convinced someone to do something which they initially had severe doubts about. Talk about the methods you have used to convince someone as well as how persistent you needed to be. Show that you enjoy influencing other people as well as being good at it.

7. Which of our products/services most appeals to you and why?

For any marketing interview you must familiarise yourself with what the company does and it’s successful products/services. This will allow you to identify its appeal and then describe how the marketing strategy has worked. An example might be Walker’s crisps tasting nice and through the good marketing strategy are now also perceived as good fun which is obviously important when one of their biggest markets is children.

8. Tell me about a brand that you think is an example of good marketing.

Identify one of your favourite brands and it’s positioning and target. In other words, who is the brand trying to reach and what are they trying to tell them. Discuss how the brand uses the marketing variables to support its positioning using the 4 P’s (product, price, place and promotion) and give examples about how your brand delivers against each.

9. Analyse this advert and pretend that you are the client looking at it for the first time. What do you think?

Look closely because the advert won’t be perfect. Begin by defining that a great advert makes people want to run out and buy the product. Great adverts might not win awards but they sell products. The most effective adverts tend to have a unique, relevant product benefit, a strong link between the brand and the benefit and are engaging through use of words and colour.

10. If you were a brand, which brand would you be and why?

Here is your chance to market yourself. You know what the interviewer is looking for as you will have done your homework so now is the time to pull out an example that shows you have it. This is also your opportunity to differentiate yourself from other candidates.

Forex Trading

2012-02-22T21:19:00.001-08:00

Forex - The biggest market on earth today within a daily turnover of
over US$4-5 trillion!!!

Due to the higher demand, the EUR/USD gives an investor plenty opportunities to make money.

The daily average movement is nearly 1% and with the leverage of 100:1 provided by us you can turn a 1% change into 100%.

You may have unlimited profits, but by using the 'Amount to risk' function, you can control the amount you wish to risk on each trade.

Public Speaking

2012-02-20T23:39:00.003-08:00

Presentation Tips for Public Speaking

Know the needs of your audience and match your contents to their needs. Know your material thoroughly. Put what you have to say in a logical sequence. Ensure your speech will be captivating to your audience as well as worth their time and attention. Practice and rehearse your speech at home or where you can be at ease and comfortable, in front of a mirror, your family, friends or colleagues. Use a tape-recorder and listen to yourself. Videotape your presentation and analyze it. Know what your strong and weak points are. Emphasize your strong points during your presentation.

When you are presenting in front of an audience, you are performing as an actor on a stage. How you are being perceived is very important. Dress appropriately for the occasion. Be solemn if your topic is serious. Present the desired image to your audience. Look pleasant, enthusiastic, confident, proud, but not arrogant. Remain calm. Appear relaxed, even if you feel nervous. Speak slowly, enunciate clearly, and show appropriate emotion and feeling relating to your topic. Establish rapport with your audience. Speak to the person farthest away from you to ensure your voice is loud enough to project to the back of the room. Vary the tone of your voice and dramatize if necessary. If a microphone is available, adjust and adapt your voice accordingly.

Body language is important. Standing, walking or moving about with appropriate hand gesture or facial expression is preferred to sitting down or standing still with head down and reading from a prepared speech. Use audio-visual aids or props for enhancement if appropriate and necessary. Master the use of presentation software such as PowerPoint well before your presentation. Do not over-dazzle your audience with excessive use of animation, sound clips, or gaudy colors, which are inappropriate for your topic. Do not torture your audience by putting a lengthy document in tiny print on an overhead and reading it out to them.

Speak with conviction as if you really believe in what you are saying. Persuade your audience effectively. The material you present orally should have the same ingredients as that which are required for a written research paper, i.e. a logical progression from INTRODUCTION (Thesis statement) to BODY (strong supporting arguments, accurate and up-to-date information) to CONCLUSION (re-state thesis, summary, and logical conclusion).

Do not read from notes for any extended length of time although it is quite acceptable to glance at your notes infrequently. Speak loudly and clearly. Sound confident. Do not mumble. If you made an error, correct it, and continue. There is no need to make excuses or apologize profusely.

Maintain sincere eye contact with your audience. Use the 3-second method, e.g. look straight into the eyes of a person in the audience for 3 seconds at a time. Have direct eye contact with a number of people in the audience, and every now and then glance at the whole audience while speaking. Use your eye contact to make everyone in your audience feel involved.

Speak to your audience, listen to their questions, respond to their reactions, adjust and adapt. If what you have prepared is obviously not getting across to your audience, change your strategy mid-stream if you are well prepared to do so. Remember that communication is the key to a successful presentation. If you are short of time, know what can be safely left out. If you have extra time, know what could be effectively added. Always be prepared for the unexpected.

Pause. Allow yourself and your audience a little time to reflect and think. Don't race through your presentation and leave your audience, as well as yourself, feeling out of breath.

Add humor whenever appropriate and possible. Keep audience interested throughout your entire presentation. Remember that an interesting speech makes time fly, but a boring speech is always too long to endure even if the presentation time is the same.

When using audio-visual aids to enhance your presentation, be sure all necessary equipment is set up and in good working order prior to the presentation. If possible, have an emergency backup system readily available. Check out the location ahead of time to ensure seating arrangements for audience, whiteboard, blackboard, lighting, location of projection screen, sound system, etc. are suitable for your presentation.

Have handouts ready and give them out at the appropriate time. Tell audience ahead of time that you will be giving out an outline of your presentation so that they will not waste time taking unnecessary notes during your presentation.

Know when to STOP talking. Use a timer or the microwave oven clock to time your presentation when preparing it at home. Just as you do not use unnecessary words in your written paper, you do not bore your audience with repetitious or unnecessary words in your oral presentation. To end your presentation, summarize your main points in the same way as you normally do in the CONCLUSION of a written paper. Remember, however, that there is a difference between spoken words appropriate for the ear and formal written words intended for reading. Terminate your presentation with an interesting remark or an appropriate punch line. Leave your listeners with a positive impression and a sense of completion. Do not belabor your closing remarks.

Thank your audience and sit down.

A True Leader

2012-02-14T21:42:00.003-08:00

8 tips for becoming a true leader

By Jeff Wuorio

On the surface, the difference between a step and a stumble seems obvious.

But in business, plotting long and hard to climb into a leadership role often is indistinguishable from inadvertently falling into one. The fact is, whether you take a deliberate step toward an objective or immediately trip on a shoelace, you may end up in the same spot. Put another way, many people who have a laser focus on getting to the top make it there no faster than those who have a leadership opportunity thrust upon them.

Yet knowing the difference between thoughtful business leadership and the kind that happens seemingly by accident is critical—not only in your ability to grow and develop as a leader, but to establish a pattern of success that's deliberate, not miraculous.

Here, then, are eight attributes that separate genuine leadership from leadership that's more a matter of chance:

1. Real leadership means leading yourself. Passing out orders is as easy as passing out business cards. But a prudent leader also knows how to lead himself or herself—not merely to provide a genuine example to others, but to become a working element of the overall machinery of your business. "It's important that leaders have the ability to focus and motivate themselves as they motivate others," says Larraine Segil, an author and consultant who teaches executive education at the California
Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

2. Don't be a monarch. Thoughtful leadership likely means you already have a talented work force in place. That's terrific. But be careful not set up a throne room in the process. Accidental leaders often inadvertently establish a system of guidance that's unnecessarily restrictive. Guide employees, but don't implement more parameters than are absolutely necessary. "It's important to influence the people with whom you work," says Segil. "Don't see your business as a hierarchy."

3. Be open to new ways of doing things. One potential land mine of a prosperous operation is to repeat anything that proves successful. It's hard to argue against that, but an inadvertent leader will put far too much stock in sticking with what always works. By contrast, thoughtful leadership acknowledges success but also recognizes there are always ways to do things better.

4. Remember that white males are fast becoming a minority. Statistics show that white males now make up only a small fraction of the workplace population. Couple that with growing partnerships across borders, and it becomes obvious that blending a variety of cultures and backgrounds in a work environment is an essential leadership skill. A thoughtless leader will try to cope with this as best as he can. One with more vision will work to take advantage of differences. "Competition—the constant push for faster, better, cheaper — mandates that we learn to effectively deal with differences in the workplace," says career consultant Susan Eckert of Advance Career and Professional Development in Brightwaters, N.Y. A company that weaves an appreciation of diversity into its cultural fabric will make itself "unbeatable," Eckert says.

5. Establish a genuine sense of commitment. I must admit this is a personal sore point with me. I've seen too many company slogans and catch phrases whose import is no deeper than the paper they're written on. Want to be "committed to superior service"? More power to you, but a genuine leader will see that as words and little else. Instead, put some meat on those bones—establish how to quantify excellence, design a cogent plan to achieve it, and set a reasonable but real timetable for its completion.

6. Finish the job. Many business leaders yak about their complete game, but how many actually finish what they say they're going to start? A thoughtless leader who never genuinely finishes anything loses the confidence of clients and customers. That lack of follow-through isn't going to be lost on his or her employees, either. Instead, set goals and establish pragmatic, accountable measures to actually finish what you start. "The ability to complete things is critical," Segil says. "Nothing's useful unless you actually complete it."

7. Show genuine appreciation. Thoughtless leaders must have forearms like Popeye's, what with all the back-slapping they do. That's fine, but good performance requires a more substantive response. Leaders with an eye to the future hand out praise but augment it with real rewards: promotions, raises, bonuses, and other tangible tokens of appreciation. That motivates your people, not only to apply themselves with enthusiasm but to stick around your company longer than they might otherwise.

8. Know that leadership skills come from learning, too. Far too many business executives believe leadership skills stem from some sort of wondrous epiphany or other such flash of insight. Sure, great ideas can come to any of us, but being a bona fide leader also means study. Read books on effective leadership, attend seminars, and pick the brains of colleagues to see what works for them. It can be a long education, but one with rewards that multiply with the more knowledge you have under your belt.

I love the above observations by Jeff Wuorio - Prathap G.

Things to worry about

2012-02-12T00:47:00.000-08:00

In 1933, renowned author F. Scott Fitzgerald ended a letter to his 11-year-old daughter, Scottie, with a list of things to worry about, not worry about, and simply think about, as follows.

Things to worry about:

Worry about courage
Worry about cleanliness
Worry about efficiency
Worry about horsemanship

Things not to worry about:

Don’t worry about popular opinion
Don’t worry about dolls
Don’t worry about the past
Don’t worry about the future
Don’t worry about growing up
Don’t worry about anybody getting ahead of you
Don’t worry about triumph
Don’t worry about failure unless it comes through your own fault
Don’t worry about mosquitoes
Don’t worry about flies
Don’t worry about insects in general
Don’t worry about parents
Don’t worry about boys
Don’t worry about disappointments
Don’t worry about pleasures
Don’t worry about satisfactions

Things to think about:

What am I really aiming at?
How good am I really in comparison to my contemporaries in regard to:

(a) Scholarship
(b) Do I really understand about people and am I able to get along with them?
(c) Am I trying to make my body a useful instrument or am I neglecting it?

With dearest love,

Daddy

(Source: F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Life in Letters )

Alpha and Omega

2012-02-06T00:39:00.000-08:00

Lord Jesus Christ.....

“And I saw a great white throne, and I saw the one who was sitting on it ... And the one sitting on the throne said ... ’I am the Alpha and the Omega - the Beginning and the End.’” (Revelation 20:11; 21:6)

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who rules from the great white throne. Jesus had already told his disciples that he would be the final judge of men. He promised that those who put their trust in him would be saved from the judgment of sin, but those who reject him will be judged.

So did Jesus claim to be God, or was he simply misunderstood. Let's take another look at Jesus' claims and ask: would Jesus have made such radical claims if he was not God?

• Jesus used God's Name for himself

• Jesus called himself "Son of Man"

• Jesus called himself "Son of God"

• Jesus claimed to forgive sin

• Jesus claimed oneness with God

• Jesus claimed all authority

• Jesus accepted worship

• Jesus called himself the "The Alpha and Omega"

• Jesus called himself "God"

Some might say, "how can we believe Jesus' claims? What proof did he leave?" Three days after his crucifixion, his disciples claimed they saw him alive. If their story was a hoax, it would have died out as the Romans submitted them.

“What is beyond all space and time, what is uncreated, eternal, came into nature, descended into His own universe, and rose again.”[16]

Specialization is for insects

2012-01-31T04:09:00.000-08:00

A human being should be able to :

1. change a diaper,
2. plan an invasion,
3. butcher a hog,
4. conn a ship,
5. design a building,
6. write a sonnet,
7. balance accounts,
8. build a wall,
9. set a bone,
10. comfort the dying,
11. take orders,
12. give orders,
13. cooperate,
14. act alone,
15. solve equations,
16. analyze a new problem,
17. pitch manure,
18. program a computer,
19. cook a tasty meal,
20. fight efficiently,
21. die gallantly.

Specialization is for insects.

Robert A. Heinlein,
science fiction author, in Time Enough for Love.

I love it – Prathap G., Sharjah

UAE workers among world's lowest paid, report says | ConstructionWeekOnline.com

2012-01-23T22:35:00.000-08:00

UAE workers among world's lowest paid, report says | ConstructionWeekOnline.com

Workers in the UAE’s manufacturing industry are amongst the lowest paid in the world, according to a report released by the IMD World Competitive Centre’s Labour Market Index.

According to data released by the Centre, the UAE was ranked 10th in terms of lowest manufacturing workers’ wages in the year 2009.

An average total hourly compensation for manufacturing workers (wages + supplementary benefits) in the UAE was $3.38 or AED12.4, the report said.

6 High-Value Skills That Will Supplement Your Career - Investopedia.com

2012-01-18T23:40:00.000-08:00

6 High-Value Skills That Will Supplement Your Career - Investopedia.com

If you're lucky enough to be a specialist in your field, you're ahead of the curve. Whether you're a marketer, accountant, writer, artist or engineer, you're more competitive with a refined skill-base. Beyond knowing the language and general trends of your trade, you need to be able to produce something of high value and economic necessity. Give yourself a competitive advantage by augmenting your talents with a new skill.(For more, check out 6 Free Ways To Learn New Job Skills.)

Read more: http://financialedge.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0112/6-High-Value-Skills-That-Will-Supplement-Your-Career.aspx?partner=ntu12#ixzz1jt4IFRMh